Fruits of Our Labor

This weekend several of the girls and I traveled to a local orchard and picked over 30 pounds of apples! It was great fun and easy to realize that it is hard work!

Morgan had as much fun as I did, just look at that beautiful smile!

Today we made applebutter and buttermilk apple bread for tomorrow's breakfast! Finally I had to quit with the apples to make supper, homemade chicken tenders.

A very busy day with lots accomplished! We all got up by 7 a.m. and we also got a lot of cleaning done. All in all, a great day!

Grocery Shopping

What does your workout routine look like? Do you jog, dance, aerobicise or walk to the fridge?
I have discovered a new, very effective, exercise routine courtesy of Sam's Club, Grocery Shopping! To start you have to find 2 two year olds and 2 five year olds to take with you. Then it helps if you can find a 15 yr old to help. The next step is to show up around ten after a long dentist visit. Smart shoppers bring snacks for the kids to munch on (but you better hurry, this only works for about the first 20 to 30 minutes).

There really is no warm up session, just plunge right into the serious workout. Be sure to go up and down every isle, searching for large containers of basic ingredients to be used in several meals, sometimes the large containers only stretch to one meal. After an hour you will begin to get hot, sweaty and tired of pushing the 2 overflowing carts...at this point park one of those and get a flatbed cart. When this is full you should be almost finished. Head to the check out and laugh to yourself at the funny looks from the other shoppers.

After checking out, spend the next 20 minutes trying to load all of this into a 12 passenger van with little luggage room. Secure the children so time is not wasted keeping them out of the path of passing cars. Slowly drive home (so as not to throw #10 cans around and knocking anyone out) and employ all human beings you can to carry the groceries into the house. The 2 year olds can help with things like spaghetti and toothpaste, every little bit helps!

Immediately put all cold items into the fridge or freezer and collapse on the couch to wait for reinforcements...Now, doesn't that make your grocery shopping seem like a breeze?! See below...

Yahtzee!!!

Picture this...8 children, finally in bed. Albert, Morgan and myself all gathered around the dining room table having the best time! We played 2 rounds of Yahtzee and laughed and hollared for over an hour. I know the kids could hear us but we just couldn't help ourselves.

Just incase you cannot see it clearly in the picture, I won both games!

Tonight we are watching Benny and Joon (if you have not seen this movie, with Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson, you MUST find the time to watch it!).

We had trouble getting Morgan registered today, pray that we get it worked out...

Exhaustion

Exhausted - entirely consumed.

I get this feeling from time to time, not in a good way...If I was "entirely consumed" by God that would be a good thing. Maybe that's the answer...

Yesterday morning I had the feeling when I realized I had forgotten to take 2 of the girls to "healthy kids camp." I can do this, how could I forget something so trivial?! Anyway, today I remembered, yea me, so with everything else we spent almost the entire day driving from here to there! Tuesdays are always bad, Monday's almost as tough, then the rest of the week usually go well.

Good news...my bruises are just beginning to go away. I've haven't been beat on since Sunday night and that night she did finally just quit after about an hour. She is pretty sad about losing her new backpack so we'll see if the consequences make a difference.

Morgan is doing well, acting silly with the girls in the van today. Spike (the iguana) gets lots of cuddle time and she is even talking about college.

So, all in all things are great! Have a great week!

Spike

Introducing the newest member of the family...Spike. He is a world traveler. You've never seen a lizard that was more loved.

Finally...A New Post!!!

A lot has happened since Easter...but, here I sit again drinking my coffee and enjoying the calm. Dirty dishes loaded for yet another cycle, clothes switched over (never ending cycle), coffee in hand it is time for reflection.

Returning from a 10 day "vacation" with 10 kids and one iguana along for the ride...this will probably be our last long trip for the year. Our adventures are great, seeing family and friends, having new experiences these kids have never dreamed of...but, truth be told, we have a lot of issues in this crazy, fun and mixed up family.

On this trip, Trey broke both bones in his right leg. Poor baby is having surgery this a.m. Other than that we rode horses, swam, fished, kayaked, shopped, found a love for dogs, held an alligator, fed a camel and a bunch of other animals, walked on water in a giant beach ball and jumped several stories high while connected to several bungee cords! It was a FULL 10 days!

Now I am trying to get back on top of things here at the mansion. Back on top, have I really ever been there?! Anyway, even Morgan is ready for school to start.

It has been WONDERFUL having Morgan back with us! Laughter now fills our evenings after the little kids have gone to bed. Laughter is the best medicine, right!

Please continue to pray for us, we are expecting a complete turn over in our kids here in the next 6 months. Some will be going home after a year and a half, some will be up for adoption...It is all a roller coaster ride. The bumps and bruises (literally) are many, but God uses each one to open my eyes to his compassion for the orphan. Praise God for his overwhelming compassion for us all!!!

Easter

It is now 7:40 a.m. Easter morning...think back about what Easter meant to you at this time.
For me, Easter means another anniversary with my Awesome Husband, it has been an adventure and continues to grow wilder! Beyond that I guess today is about reflecting on past heartaches and trying to move on and focus on the 8 kids we have now.

But, at this moment, mostly it is about staying up till midnight making homemade Easter baskets and remembering our shopping trip for shoes (all 8 kids!). I am enjoying the calm before the storm as I cook breakfast, drink my coffee and share my thoughts!

PRAISE GOD FOR THE TRUE MEANING OF EASTER!!!